How to get added to the court system
A suitable strategy to get added to the court system can be visualized as follows: filing Form I-862 - Notice to Appear when you cross the border into Mexico means that you receive a deportation hearing summons issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
But this document alone does not mean that you are already in the court system. To be added to the court system, your summons must be served by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, known as an ICE officer (not to be confused with ISAP and USCIS), and entered into the system. From that point on, you are in the system and only an ICE officer can and should do this. The date of this action is reflected on the website in the "Docket Date" field.
A reminder is provided that as long as you are not in the court system, you can file Form I-589 with USCIS. However, getting into the court system is not directly dependent on filing Form I-589 or visits. It is important to note that if when you file your I-589 with USCIS, officers do not add you to the system for an extended period of time and the immigration office notices this, USCIS may self-refer your case to the court and issue a new summons for a hearing (NTA). However, this does not happen very often.
How long do you have to wait?
When this system was designed, it was probably expected that officers would enter data into the system immediately after handing you the form. However, in practice, officers are overwhelmed and put forms off until later. Currently, there is a trend toward shorter wait times. The minimum is 1-2 weeks, but for some people the process takes many months, about six months, and some people experience procrastination and don't show up in the system for over a year.
What to do.
First, don't procrastinate in filing Form I-589, or you risk failing to file it within a year of arrival and missing the deadline. This can help you get into the court system with USCIS.
Second, your addition to the system is entirely up to ICE officers. Therefore, if you want to be added, you need to contact immigration officers and persistently ask to be added to the system. Sometimes ICE officers will add you to the system a few days after your scheduled visit, and sometimes there are no scheduled visits and some forms are simply lost by the officers. So if it's been six months and you're still not in the system, it's a serious circumstance and it's time to act. And if the deadline is approaching a year, you need to seek help immediately.
How to contact an ICE officer.
But this document alone does not mean that you are already in the court system. To be added to the court system, your summons must be served by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, known as an ICE officer (not to be confused with ISAP and USCIS), and entered into the system. From that point on, you are in the system and only an ICE officer can and should do this. The date of this action is reflected on the website in the "Docket Date" field.
A reminder is provided that as long as you are not in the court system, you can file Form I-589 with USCIS. However, getting into the court system is not directly dependent on filing Form I-589 or visits. It is important to note that if when you file your I-589 with USCIS, officers do not add you to the system for an extended period of time and the immigration office notices this, USCIS may self-refer your case to the court and issue a new summons for a hearing (NTA). However, this does not happen very often.
How long do you have to wait?
When this system was designed, it was probably expected that officers would enter data into the system immediately after handing you the form. However, in practice, officers are overwhelmed and put forms off until later. Currently, there is a trend toward shorter wait times. The minimum is 1-2 weeks, but for some people the process takes many months, about six months, and some people experience procrastination and don't show up in the system for over a year.
What to do.
First, don't procrastinate in filing Form I-589, or you risk failing to file it within a year of arrival and missing the deadline. This can help you get into the court system with USCIS.
Second, your addition to the system is entirely up to ICE officers. Therefore, if you want to be added, you need to contact immigration officers and persistently ask to be added to the system. Sometimes ICE officers will add you to the system a few days after your scheduled visit, and sometimes there are no scheduled visits and some forms are simply lost by the officers. So if it's been six months and you're still not in the system, it's a serious circumstance and it's time to act. And if the deadline is approaching a year, you need to seek help immediately.
How to contact an ICE officer.